Active Regions on the Sun

NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) satellites have provided the first three-dimensional images of the sun. For the first time, scientists will be able to see structures in the sun's atmosphere in three dimensions. The new view will greatly aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics and there by improve space weather forecasting.

The series of solar images shows a mosaic of the extreme ultraviolet images from STEREO's SECCHI/Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, taken March 17-27, 2007, and their 3-D counterpart. These false color images show the sun's atmospheres at a range of different temperatures. Blue image: 1 million degrees C (171 Å), green, 1.5 million C (195 Å), red 60,000-80,000 (304 Å), and yellow image2.5 million C (286 Å). Each temperature allows scientists to focus on different features of the sun.